Those Butlers, Secret Romance
by Gwynhafara
Summary: Why on earth would Claude sign a contract with a brat like Alois? To see Sebastian, of course! Sebastian attempts to guide his boyfriend through the trials of dealing with a difficult human master.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: My friend and I were making (ridiculous) speculations about Kuroshitsuji II, and a very late hour of the night, and I suggested that Sebastian and Claude might already know each other. I mean, they're both demons after all, right? This is the result. And I haven't watched the newest episode yet, so if I'm messing things up, that's why.

It had been a long day, but then again, it always was. Sebastian Michaelis had rarely needed to sleep before, but since he had begun working for Ciel Phantomhive, he had needed rest more and more frequently. Not that he minded, overmuch. Of all the humans he had signed a contract with over the centuries, Ciel Phantomhive was the one he was more proud to serve.

Sebastian removed his formal white gloves, and unbuttoned his crisp white shirt before laying down on the bed, with his hands behind his head. He would have liked a cup of tea before sleeping, but he just couldn't face making one more cup of tea that day, and unlike Ciel, he didn't have anyone to make it for him. The butler closed his red eyes, and was drifting towards sleep, when he heard something… unusual.

Someone was tapping a fingernail against the glass of his bedroom window. Normally, this would have been alarming, or at least out of the ordinary, but the longer one lives, the less one is surprised. Sebastian climbed out of bed and pushed aside the heavy curtains.

"Claude," Sebastian said, recognizing his visitor. A small smile crept onto his face. He unlatched the window and swung open the glass. "It's good to see you again."

Claude took Sebastian's hands and climbed down into the room. When he had two feet safely on the carpeted floor, he threw his arms around Sebastian's neck. "Claude," Sebastian said gently, "This isn't just a normal visit, is it?"

Claude raised his head from Sebastian's shoulder. Tears glistened in his golden eyes. Sebastian sighed and pointed to the bed. "Sit. I'll make us some…tea." He barely managed to suppress a shudder. Claude laughed weakly. "Perhaps some wine would be better?" Sebastian nodded gratefully. "Then I'll go raid the cellars instead."

He returned with a well aged bottle of red Italian wine, and a pair of crystal glasses. With an expert twist of a wine cork, he opened the bottle and poured, handing Claude the first glass. He sat down on the bed next to him, leaning against the headboard. "So?" he asked.

Claude shivered, looking down into his wine. He lifted the glass and drained it in a single gulp. "I just can't take it any more, Sebastian."

"Take what?"

"Alois. I can't stand him. I can't serve him. He's…he's… He puts out people's eyes for fun, Sebastian!"

Sebastian put his goblet aside, reaching over to take Claude's face in his hands. "I told you not to sign a contract with him, sweetheart. I only wish you had listened to me."

"I missed you. It was the only way…"

Sebastian laughed bitterly. "The only way? We'll live forever, Claude. You couldn't wait for me for one mortal lifetime?" The only way for a demon to leave Hell was with a signed contract in hand. Claude hadn't been to discerning in his choice of a master in his rush to see Sebastian. And now he was paying for it.

"Sebastian? You know that everything I've been doing, encouraging that woman to murder, that thing on the train, it's all because Alois orders it so, right?" Even though he was a demon, Sebastian had a strict sense of… not of right and wrong, exactly, but of justice and honor. Claude was afraid that Sebastian would reject him for his recent doings in the mortal world.

"I know, Claude, I know. When is Alois expecting you back?"

Claude removed his glasses, and lay down, resting his head against Sebastian's chest. "He doesn't know that I've gone. He would never have allowed it."

"Claude, don't leave me alone!" Sebastian put on a high, mocking imitation of Alois' voice.

Claude snickered. "Exactly. I don't suppose that Ciel requires another butler? You seem to be doing well here."

"Alas, no. Poor little Ciel only has one soul to sell, and it is mine, though I admit, that I fear I might regret taking it. Ciel is so entertaining alive."

"I shall relish devouring Alois. Absolutely relish it."

Sebastian brushed a stay lock of black hair out of Claude's face. "Don't sound so bitter. It's not like you, my tap dancing Claude."

"You always did like my tap dancing."

"Well," Sebastian said. "If Alois doesn't know you're gone, then he won't be expecting you until morning. We have some time to ourselves."

Claude raised himself to his knees, pressing his lips to Sebastian's while working out the knot in his tie. "Excellent. That's exactly what I had in mind for this evening."

Sebastian's plans for an evening's rest were ruined. Not that he minded.

XXX

"You're late this morning, Sebastian."

His young master was already awake, sitting up in bed when Sebastian arrive with his morning pot of tea. The butler covered his yawn with one white gloved hand, the tea cup and saucer he held in the other rattling slightly, an unforgivable error for a butler of his caliber.

Ciel raised an eyebrow. "Is something wrong, Sebastian?"

"Not at all, My Lord."

"Of course." Ciel smiled to himself, careful to hide his face with his teacup. His Sebastian was seeing someone. He only wondered who the lucky woman was.

XXX

Claude knew that no matter how little sleep he had gotten, he could not make even the slightest error in front of Alois. That would only lead to interrogation and unpleasantness. He handed Alois a perfectly brewed, perfectly sweetened cup of Darjeeling tea. "Good Morning, Your Highness." Claude was perfectly aware that the proper way to address an earl was as 'My Lord,' Alois' preferred title was only a further sign of his madness. Claude turned away, to pull Alois' clothes for the day from the mahogany wardrobe.

Something hit him in the back of the head, with a shattering of porcelin. "I'm sick of tea!" Alois screeched. "Bring me coffee instead." Claude didn't flinch, even as the scalding liquid dripped down the back of his neck. "Yes, Your Highness."

The weeks passed. Ciel thought that Sebastian was in a consistently better mood than usual. The manor seemed to be running more smoothly, and if Ciel's teacup happened to rattle in Sebastian's hand on the occasional morning, he didn't mind overmuch.

"So who is it, Sebastian?" Ciel asked one afternoon, nibbling on the corner of a petit four.

"I beg your pardon, Young Master. I do not know to whom you're referring."

"Of course you do, Sebastian. I know you've been seeing someone. You're tired in the morning at least once a week, and Meirin said she's heard an extra person sneaking around late at night. Your guests don't have to sneak, you know, Sebastian. They could use the front door."

Sebastian ducked his head, minutely adjusting a fold of the table cloth. "Yes, My Lord."

"You never answered the question. Who are you seeing?"

"If you'll forgive me, Young Master, I prefer not to say."

Ciel stood, dusting a single crumb from the cuff of his sleeve. "Very well, Sebastian. I'll let it go. For now."

Sebastian watched his master head back up towards the house, struggling to keep a smile from his face. For a demon, he doubted his life could be better. Now if only he could manage to extricate Claude from his sticky situation with Alois.

XXX

((Soon to be followed by Chapter Two: In which Claude gets a backbone and stands up to Alois. Yeah, that should go well))


	2. Chapter 2

((Note: Okay, so I may be going out of character. I'm trying my best not to, but I'm having particular trouble with Claude. And I have seen episode six now. ^^. However, as a reviewer pointed out, I'm not being true to the manga, which is true. I haven't decided whether to read it or not. So…yeah. Not Manga Compliant))

Sebastian sat by his bedroom window. The manor was quiet and dark, save for the branch of three candles Sebastian kept by his side. Perfectly still, he waited, listening to the ticking of the clock marking off the hours. When the sun came up, Sebastian unfolded him from his seat, blew out the candles, and went to prepare to attend to his master. For the first time, Sebastian went about his duties with a heavy heart. Claude had not come.

XXX

"Get out of here, you whore!" Claude, who had been coming to collect Alois' lunch tray, paused in the hallway outside of Alois' study. Not that the young earl ever got any studying done. The outburst was followed the sound of shattering china. It appeared that Alois was throwing dishes at the help again. Claude was grateful that it wasn't him this time. From the sound of things, Hannah was Alois' target. Claude didn't know what it was about the young woman that made Alois hate her so.

Claude felt anger bubbling with in him. Whenever he spent time with Sebastian, Claude was always jealous that Sebastian got to serve a master who respected his opinion, who listened to him. Who, considering they were both serving very young masters, obeyed him when necessary. And Claude was certain that Sebastian would never have stood for Alois' behavior. And in that moment, Claude decided that he wasn't going to either.

He opened the door. Alois had thrown a plate across the room. Hannah was bleeding from a relatively minor scratch across her cheek. Claude wondered what it said that they were grateful when the wounds inflicted by their master were minor. Their master should not have been inflicting wounds at all.

"Alois, that will be quiet enough!" Claude said. Claude had never raised his voice to Alois before, and it was enough to make the boy hesitate before reaching for the next piece of china. Claude was standing beside the desk in an instant, more quickly than the human eye could follow. He grabbed Alois' wrist before he could throw anything else.

"Hannah," Claude said calmly, "You may go. I will deal with His Highness." Hannah gave a breif curtsey and swept from the room.

"You spoiled my fun, Claude," Alois said with a pout. "How are you going to make it up to me?" But Claude had yet to let go of Alois' wrist. "I do not intend to make it up to you, Alois Trancy." His grip tightened, enough to be painful, but not enough to leave bruises on Alois' delicate skin. "I will no longer tolerate you treating the staff in such a manner."

Alois squirmed, trying to wrench his wrist away. "How dare you! You're just my butler! You have to do what I say!"

Claude removed his glasses with his free hand, his golden eyes flashing. "I may have agreed to serve you, Your Highness, but you should not forget that while I am your loyal servant, I am also a demon. And my duty as your loyal servant is to do what is best for you, even if you do not like it very well." He finally released Alois' wrist, and put his glasses back on. "Is there any thing else Your Highess requires?"

"You will pay for this," Alois hissed, cradling his wrist.

Claude bowed, collected the remaining dished from Alois's lunch, and exited the room.

XXX

Claude was pleasantly surprised. He and the rest of the Trancy staff had managed to get through the rest of the day without anything unusually untoward happening. Claude extinguished Alois's candles for the evening, and was about to leave, a single taper in his hand lighting the way, when Alois called him back.

"Claude."

Claude sighed, "Yes, Your Highness?" He turned around and found Alois standing on the bed, the pitcher of water that normally stood on his bedside table in his hands. The butler couldn't help but wonder what Alois was up to.

"Come here."

Obedient, Claude went and stood by the side of Alois' bed. Alois raised the pitcher and poured the contents over Claude's head.

Now, Claude and Sebastian were not vampires. Garlic, silver, a crucifix, none of these would have a much of an effect on them. But they were demons. And being doused in several liters of holy water was certainly a problem.

The pain was immediate, and intense. Claude collapsed to his knees, as the burning water burned the side of his face, seeped through his suit to burn his back arm, and side. As his vision went dark behind his glasses, he heard Alois horrid, high pitched laugh. "I told you I'd make you pay!"

Alois called for the triplets to come and clean up the mess.

XXX

"You seem distracted today, Sebastian. I asked you to bring me my correspondence."

"My apologies, Young Master." Sebastian fetched the requested paperwork, then assumed a position behind Ciel's chair. Ciel opened the first letter, eyes scanning the overly elaborate Victorian script. Sebastian didn't move. Ciel raised his head. Normally his butler would have moved on, and been about other work. Sebastian wasn't the type to stand idle.

"You're hovering, Sebastian."

Sebastian hesitated. "I have a request, My Lord."

This time, Ceil put down his work entirely, twisting his head around to look at Sebastian. Sebastian stepped forward, going to one knee beside Ciel's chair. "I would like to go away for a while, My Lord."

Ciel considered. Sebastian had never asked anything of him before, (well other than his soul, of course) and there weren't any particularly urgent problems that they needed to solve. One the other hand, Ciel couldn't imagine being without his butler. His protector.

"For how long?" Ciel asked softly.

"Not for long, My Lord. A day or less."

Sebastian deserved a day. "Very well," Ciel said, turning back to his work. Sebastian got to his feet. He bowed to his master. "Thank you, My Lord. I'll leave tonight." He paused in the doorway, looking back at his master. Ciel's head was bowed over his desk. Sebastian smiled. He would find Claude, and everything would be all right.

XXX

Claude opened his eyes onto blackness. He lacked the will to move, but from what he could surmise, he had been placed his own bed. And someone was knocking at his window.

"Sebastian," he said softly, a smile on his face. When Claude didn't get up to open the window, Sebastian let himself in. At a snap of his fingers, the candles in the room sprang to life.

"What has he done to you?" Sebastian hissed.

"Holy water. Burns." Claude let his eyes drift closed again. Sebastian gathered Claude in his arms. "Sebastian…what are you doing…?"

"I will not leave you here."

Claude struggled feebly. "I have to stay and look after Alois. Contract."

"The contract obligates you to serve Alois, not to let him torture you." Sebastian carried Claude through the silent house, the way he had carried Ciel many time before. "What inspired him to do this, Claude?"

Claude smiled against Sebastian's shoulder. I stood up to him. I told him to stop picking on the servants, and Hannah in particular. He said he would make me pay for it. I suppose he was right."

XXX

"My Lord!"

Ciel rubbed his temples. Meirin was perhaps the last person he wished to have interrupting his work. "What is it?" He said testily.

"My Lord, Sebastian has returned. Finnian saw him entering through the servant's entrance a few minutes ago!"

"Thank goodness. Thank you, Meirin, that will be all." Ciel hurried off towards Sebastian's quarters. He hadn't quite imagined how difficult it would be to be without his butler for even the space of a morning and part of an afternoon.

The Earl Phantomhive didn't knock, "I'm glad you're back, Sebastian," he said, entering the room, "I wanted to discuss with you the plans for Her Majesty's garden party this weekend." Ciel stopped in his tracks. "Sebastian!"

Sebastian was leaning against the headboard, with Claude's head in his lap. "Yes, My Lord?" he said, running his fingers gently through Claude's hair.

"You brought my enemies into my own house!"

"Ciel," Sebastian said, and Ciel knew he was serious, as Sebastian very, very rarely called him by his given name. "Claude is not your enemy. Alois is your enemy, Claude just happens to have a contract with him."

Ciel looked skeptical. "So this is who you've been seeing then, Sebastian?"

Sebastian nodded. "Yes. This has nothing to do with you and Alois. Claude and I have been seeing each other for centuries."

"Well," Ciel stuttered, "is he all right?" he asked, noticing the burns on the side of Claude's face.

((Next Chapter: Alois discovers Claude is missing, and I try to work in as much Sebastian and Claude fluffiness/smut as possible. ))


	3. Chapter 3

((Note: Was I having a little too much fun with this bit? Probably. Sorry it's shorter than the others, I'm having internet problems, and I wanted to get this up with I had the chance.))

"Well," Ciel stuttered, "is he all right?" he asked, noticing the burns on the side of Claude's face.

Sebastian nodded. "I do believe he'll recover."

"Well then," Not knowing what else to say, Ciel turned on his heel and left.

"He didn't seem particularly upset," Claude observed. It was a pleasant surprise.

Sebastian smirked. "I don't think he's quiet processed what he saw yet. He thought it was a woman that I had been sneaking into my room all of these nights."

The demons exchanged glances and laughed.

XXX

"Oh my goodness," Meirin said, as she gathered the dishes from the kitchen to (attempt to) set the table. "There's two of them!"

"Two of who?" Finnian asked, washing the dirt from his fingers at the sink. Meirin took him by the shoulders, and spun him around to face Sebastian and Claude who had just entered the room. Finnian's jaw dropped, his mouth forming a little O.

Sebastian ducked into the pantry, searching for something, leaving Claude standing awkwardly in the kitchen, facing the rest of the staff. He adjusted his glasses in irritation.

"You know, he looks really familiar…" Finny said, squinting at Claude across the counter.

Claude opened his mouth, not sure what he was going to say, not sure if he should tell the Phantomhive staff his true identity or not.

"Claude," Sebastian called from within the walk-in closet/pantry. "Could you come help me for a moment?"

Claude offered a stiff bow to the other Phantomhive servants, and joined Sebastian in the closet. A white - gloved hand, no one could tell if it belonged to Sebastian or Claude reached out and pulled the door shut behind them.

"I wonder what Sebastian needs help with in the closet?" Finny asked innocently, as the sound of things crashing came from behind the closed door.

"I don't think you want to know," Bard said, shaking his head.

Finny grabbed Meirin's sleeve, pointing frantically at the kitchen door. Ciel strolled non-chalantly into the kitchen, as though it was something he did everyday, even though the young master could count on one hand the number of times he had been in the serving areas of the manor. He had been in many places he didn't normally go in the last few days, including Sebastian's private rooms.

"Have any of you seen Sebastian?" Ciel asked his staff. "I don't know where his head is these days. He didn't bring me sugar with my tea. And he didn't even _answer _when I rang for him." That was the real travesty, a perfect butler would always be ready to attended his master.

Finnian and Meirin pointed mutely to the pantry. Ciel looked confused. He reached for the door handle.

"I don't think you want to go in there, Sir." Bard said, wondering if he was the only one who realized what was going on.

From the other side of the door, the assembled company could hear a muffled "_Sebastian!" _Ciel gritted his teeth, his cheeks flushing. He was about to turn around and leave, damn the sugar, when he heard the click of a lock sliding back. Sebastian and Claude stepped out of the closet. Claude's tie was slightly askew, and Sebastian paused to reach over and straighten it before offering a sugar bowl and pair of silver tongs to his young master.

"I heard you ask for sugar, My Lord?"

Ciel took the proffered items angrily. "You didn't answer when I rang, he said coldly."

"Forgive me, Young Master, I was otherwise engaged in a rather urgent matter."

Ciel looked accusatorily at Claude while he spoke. "See that it doesn't happen again."

Sebastian bowed. "Yes, My Lord."

XXX

When they were alone again, polishing the silver, Claude asked, "Why did you _do _that?"

Sebastian smirked. "Oh, don't tell me you didn't enjoy it, Claude. And besides, I did it because I think working for Alois has made you dead inside. You used to have such a great spark." He sighed, "Someone who dances like you do shouldn't be dead inside."

Claude's lips twitched in the faintest hint of a smile. "Thank you, Sebastian."

((Next time we'll get back to Alois and his evil-ness))


	4. Chapter 4

"CLAUDE!" Alois screamed, a note of panic rising in his voice. "Claude! Where are you!" The young earl Trancy tore a path of destruction through the house, opening every door as he searched, picking up items at random and smashing them against the walls or floor to accent their screaming.

"You!" he said, encountering one of the triplets. They were scurrying about the house in their master's wake, attempting to prevent as much damage to the house as possible. Hannah was wisely refusing to emerge from her room. "Have you seen Claude?" Alois demanded.

The purple haired young man shook his head. "No, Your Highness, none of us have seen him since…" he trailed off.

"Since when?"

"Since the night you burned him, Your Highness." the servant finished, almost inaudibly.

To the man's great surprise, Alois sniffled. "Claude promised he wouldn't leave me. You think I kill him, don't you?"

"No, Your Highness," he said carefully, "I didn't say that. I simply think he might have gone somewhere to recover. Or perhaps an enemy got to him while he was in his weakened state?"

Alois tears dried up instantly. "No one could eve defeat my Claude!" he shouted, kicking his servant in the shins. The young man resisted the strong urge to jump up and down on one foot.

"N…no, of course not, Your Highness. Except…"

Alois growled. "Except what?"

"Except for perhaps, Sebastian Michaelis, Your Highness…"

"Phantomhive is behind this." Alois stamped one high heeled foot. "Get the carriage ready! We're going to rescue Claude! And Ciel Phantomhive and that butler of his will be punished for trying to take my Claude away from me!"

"Yes, Your Highness," The servant bowed, and went off to find his brothers. That could have gone worse. Of course, now they would be facing both Alois's wrath, and the wrath of Ciel Phantomhive, if his hypothesis turned out to be false.

XXX

"Can you believe that your Young Master asked the maid to give me my own room?" Claude said, leaning against the doorframe to Sebastian's room with a seductive smirk.

"Well," Sebastian stroked one black nailed hand down the side of Claude's face. "Let the boy keep his innocence a little longer."

"I don't think he'll stay innocent much longer if you keep pulling stunts like that bit in the closet this afternoon."

"Please, darling, Ciel didn't see anything. Besides, I'm allowed to have a life."

"Yeah," Claude chuckled, "his," he said, meaning Ciel.

"You take your duties very seriously, Claude."

Claude raised an eyebrow behind his glasses. "As should you, Sebastian. You actually have a master worth serving."

"Oh, have no doubt, I'm devoted to Ciel," Sebastian said, taking off Claude's glasses and placing them on the bedside table. "But I'm devoted to you as well. I hate those glasses, by the way. " Sebastian began to unbutton Claude's shirt.

"No you don't, Sebastian," Claude said, grabbing Sebastian's wrists before he could finish his task.

"What are you doing?" Sebastian sounded amused rather than concerned.

"Well, Sebastian," he said, spinning Sebastian around and stripping off his jacket. "You can just consider this payback for this afternoon."

"Payback?"

Claude laughed, and nibbled on the side of Sebastian's neck, "Mhm, for that little humiliating incident in the kitchen. And you said you wanted me with my spark back. You should be careful what you wish for."

Even with his arms pinned behind his back, Sebastian couldn't help but laugh. Yes, this was more like the Claude he remembered. The Claude he had known before that particular butler had the misfortune of meeting Alois Trancy. "And what do you intend to do with me?"

Claude rolled his eyes. "I should have thought that would be fairly obvious."

"Well, no. If this is revenge for this afternoon, and I, hm, slightly humiliated you by letting everyone know what we were doing in that closet, then it stands to reason that you would have to do something more humiliating to me to pay me back for it. So no, I'm not sure what you have planned."

Claude pulled off Sebastian's shirt and shoved him onto the bed, laughing. "Such logic could only come from your devious mind, Sebastian. I have no intention of humiliating you."

"So what do you intend then?"

Claude smirked. "It intend to be the one on top."

Sebastian laughed. "Well, I suppose I'll allow it, just this once. It's good to have the real you back, Claude."

XXX

"Good Morning, Sir. This morning's tea is green sencha."

Ciel sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes. Something was wrong. Very wrong. "Sebastian?" he said blearily, "What's wrong with you? You know I don't drink green tea."

"I thought perhaps this morning you might like to try something different." Claude said, waving the cup under Ciel's nose.

Ciel glowered. "You're not my Sebastian." The young earl refused to take the teacup. "Where's Sebastian?"

Claude held one white gloved finger to his lips with a wicked grin. "He was very busy last night, so I thought I would take over his duties for the morning." The butler pulled a set of clothes for Ciel out of the wardrobe.

Ciel lifted the teacup from the silver tray on his bedside table and took a delicate sip. He winced, and set it back in the saucer with a click. "Absolutely not."

"Absolutely not what, Sir?"

"I will absolutely not allow you to dress me." Ciel picked up his eye patch and tied it around his head. "Please get Sebastian for me."

Claude nodded, and adjusted his glasses. "Very well, sir."

XXX

Sebastian awoke, instantly worried. He smelled something peculiar. It smelled like…cinnamon? He opened his eyes to find a tray of freshly made French toast and coffee sitting by the bed. Since nothing was burned, Sebastian could only assume it was Claude's handy work. The demon smiled, and dug into his breakfast. He hadn't had a morning this pleasant in a long time.

When he was halfway finished with the toast, the door opened to admit Claude, fully dressed, down to the white gloves. He adjusted his glasses.

Sebastian laughed. "What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, Sebastian. I tried to take over your duties for the morning, but your young master did not take to it very well. He's asking for you."

Sebastian was out of bed and dressed in under five minutes. He nudged the plate in Claude's direction. "Here, finish the toast."

XXX

Alois Trancy hoped out of his carriage, and strode to the front door of the Phantomhive mansion. He knocked, and, as a nobleman, was admitted to the drawing room to await Ciel's attention.

Finnian knocked on Ciel's bedroom door just as Sebastian finished readying Ciel for the day.

"You have a visitor awaiting you in the drawing room, My Lord," he said.

"Who is it?" Ciel asked, checking Sebastian's work in the mirror.

"It's the Earl Trancy, Sir."

Ciel sighed, disappointed that his staff had, yet again, allowed an enemy into his house. "This wouldn't have happened if you and Claude hadn't been playing games this morning." Ciel was confident that his butler would have been able to turn the Trancy earl away without difficulty.

"Yes, My Lord." Sebastian said, slightly chagrinned. "The question now, is how does my Young Master indeed to deal with his guest."

"That depends," Ciel said, "on what you want to do about Claude."

((So. If Ciel takes off his eye patch when giving an order to Sebastian, what does Alois do when giving an order to Claude. Nothing, since the seal is on his tongue? Or does he have to stick out his tongue or something? And wouldn't that make speech rather difficult?))


	5. Chapter 5

"I'll go speak to Claude."

"There's no need," Claude said, appearing uncannily in the doorway. "Did you think I wouldn't know when my master was in the house?" He slumped into a chair.

"There are too many people in my room." Ciel said.

Claude and Sebastian both turned to glare at him.

"Right," the young earl said, "forget I said anything." It was as close as Ciel would ever come to an apology.

"You know that I have to return to the Trancy Manor, Sebastian."

In an uncharacteristic display of anxiety, Sebastian ran a gloved hand through his hair. "Yes, I know." It was this that caused Ciel to realize how much Claude meant to Sebastian. He had never seen Sebastian in the least bit disheveled.

Ciel cleared his throat. Both of the butlers glared at him again. "Well, I hate to ruin your moment, but I'm sure Alois is going to accuse Sebastian and I of some sort of devious plot."

"Well, I did kidnap his butler, even though said butler wasn't exactly unwilling," Sebastian said with a smirk.

The comment earned him a faint smile from Claude. "So how are we going to keep Alois from attempting to kill you and your Young Master?"

"Surely you and I are capable of that."

"But I am obligated to do Alois' bidding," Claude pointed out.

"Of course, if you decide to disobey, the contract would be void, and you could go home. On the other hand, then you wouldn't get his soul."

"And, as with all things, we need to eat to live. If I wasn't cultivating Alois' soul, I would have to find another."

Sebastian nodded. "At least Ciel and Alois live in close proximity to each other."

"I think I'll go stall Alois while you two say your goodbyes." Ciel hopped off the bed and headed for the door.

Sebastian stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you, Young Master."

Ciel nodded, and headed down to the parlor.

XXX

Alois was out of his seat the minute Ciel entered the room. "What have you done with my Claude!"

Ciel smirked, taking a seat in a wingback chair, with his back to the windows. Even he could detect the tremor of fear in Alois' voice. Still, he couldn't find it in his heart to feel sorry for the boy. "I have done nothing to Claude."

"Of course you have! He wouldn't leave me voluntarily! Either you or that damn butler of yours did something to him."

Ciel took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Let me explain something to you about Claude. And about Sebastian."

Alois looked suspicious.

"Please take a seat," Ciel said graciously.

Alois sat.

"Claude and Sebastian have been seeing each other. Romantically. Apparently for centuries."

"That's not possible!"

"Oh," Ciel said with a small smile, "I assure you that it is."

"You would never do something like that, would you Claude?" Alois asked, wide eyed.

Ciel looked up. Claude and Sebastian had stepped silently into the parlor. Alois scampered across the room, and wrapped his arms around Claude's waist. Sebastian gritted his teeth to prevent himself from saying something unsuited to his station.

Claude pried himself away from Alois and knelt down to look the boy in the eyes. "What Ciel said is true, Alois. I am in love with Sebastian, and always have been."

"But," Alois sniffled, "You promised you wouldn't leave me."

"And I won't. I am still Your Highness' loyal servant."

Alois looked up at Sebastian with malevolence in his eyes. "So if I ordered you to kill Sebastian?"

"I would not." Claude said coldly. "Any other command, I will obey, but I will not harm Sebastian."

Sebastian, standing behind Ciel with both hands on the earl's shoulders, smiled in satisfaction.

"And if I ordered you to kill Ciel?" Alois looked pleased with himself, running his tongue over his lower lip, allowing Claude to catch glimpses of the seal imprinted on the boy's tongue. Ciel thought the seal was in bad taste. Why would the demon have put Alois' seal somewhere were it could not be covered? For example, with a tasteful eye patch. Though Ciel had to admit, he sometimes had trouble with depth perception.

Claude adjusted his glasses. "Then I would attempt to kill Ciel, and Sebastian would of course defend him. And since I will not harm Sebastian, this could likely end in my demise."

Alois practically growled in frustration. "Fine. We'll speak about this later. Claude, we're going."

"Yes, Your Highness." Claude bowed, and sending one last look at Sebastian, followed his master out to the waiting carriage.

XXX

With his guest gone, Ciel sighed. That boy had been giving him a headache. "Sebastian, I believe I'll take my tea now."

Sebastian bowed, his smile hidden. He believed that his young master had handled the situation admirably. "Yes, My Lord."

XXX

Alois sulked in the carriage, his arms folded across his chest as he sank into the purple upholstered cushions of the carriage. "You left me."

Claude calmly raised an eyebrow behind his glasses. "You poured a pitcher of Holy water over my head."

The young earl Trancy shrugged. "I told you I was going to punish you for speaking to me the way you did."

"Yes, I wished to speak you about that, Your Highness." Before Alois had a chance even to blink, Claude was on the other side of the carriage, grabbing him by the shoulders and pinning him to his seat. "You will never speak to your staff in that fashion again. You will not offer your staff physical abuse ever again."

Alois squirmed, whimpering. "Claude! You're hurting me!"

Claude ignored his master's complaints. "And if you neglect either of these conditions, I will take it upon myself to correct you." Claude smiled, his eyes flashing with demonic energy. "And I will enjoy it."

Then Claude was back in his own seat, hands calmly folded in his lap. "I have been learning things from Sebastian about a butler's proper duties. It is a butler's duty to do whatever is in his master's best interest, even if his master doesn't wish it. If that includes correcting a spoiled and headstrong child, then so be it."

Alois looked at him with large blue eyes. Claude observed that, when his master was silent, he was much more agreeable.

XXX

Sebastian stood by the heavy curtained windows and watched the Trancy carriage roll away. When they had disappeared, he sighed and turned back to Ciel. "Is there anything else you need at the moment, Young Master?"

"No, Sebastian, I'm fine." Ciel hesitated a moment before asking, "Are you all right?"

"I am fine, Young Master. And you shouldn't be worrying about me. After all, I'm just a butler."

Ciel scoffed. "Hardly."

XXX

((Not really sure where I'm going from here. Shall I make them fight at Alois behest? ))


End file.
